Flying post September 11th. Security still tight?

[Nightfall]

Is security a little more relaxed? How much time should I allow myself to get through security? Arrive 2 hours before my plane takes off? 1 hour before? Any airline stories to share?

Ok, my story...

The last time I was on a plane was a little over a month after the September 11th attacks. Security was hella tight! I remember trying to get into the terminal.

The lady asks me to take my shoes off, so I did.
The lady asks me to unbuckle my belt, so I did.
The lady asks me to undo my pants and fold the waist flap down so she could check for anything in the waist line, so I did.
The lady then asks me to drop my pants entirely, so I did. There I stood in my boxers and she checked the inside leggings of my pants.

After she was done, I pulled up my pants, collected my shoes and sat down to put them on. The guy right behind me was asked to do the same thing for the most part. When asked to pull his pants down, he said he thought that wasn't a good idea. The lady asked why and he said, "Because I am going commando. You are going to be looking at "the last turkey in the shop" if I do". Everyone laughed.

 

[jpeyton]

Security is nowhere near that tight anywhere I have been.

You seriously dropped your pants for a TSA goon? I would have turned around, walked out of the airport, and called the local news.

 

[tami]

i flew back from florida to new york on wednesday night. the security was still kind of tight.

i was asked to remove my shoes, and my husband was as well. he had to remove his belt. we weren't strip-searched.

however, i had a small screwdriver for my camera in my carry-on and they were discussing whether i was allowed to bring it on the plane. in the end, they said it's fine, but it actually shocked me that they even bothered with it as i was able to get from new york to florida without the problem.

 

[Nightfall]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Security is nowhere near that tight anywhere I have been.

You seriously dropped your pants for a TSA goon? I would have turned around, walked out of the airport, and called the local news.

Actually, back then the local National Guard was at the airport. Kinda hard to argue with someone who has a guard next to them with an M16. As for me dropping my pants, yes I did. It was just a pair of dockers too. It wasn't like I was wearing some armor plate mail or something.

Yea, I dropped my pants. In fact, they were asking probably about 50% of the people to do that. Back then, going to the media was something that would have been blown off.

 

[meltdown75]

at McCarron in Vegas, they were randomly selecting passengers for special security checks. as such, my wife and i got separated because she was stuck in the heavy duty security section. kinda sucked, but hey.

 

[theknight571]

Most places will still ask that you remove your shoes and send them through the x-ray machine.

If you carry a laptop..it needs to be removed from the bag and sent through separately.

If your belt isn't loaded with metal bits and/or a big belt buckle then you should be fine. I haven't had to remove my belt for a long time now.

All of the places I've been lately don't do a "person" search unless you set off the metal detector.

Although in Phoenix they were obviously (I mean it was plainly obvious) separating all of the "foreign" looking people to a separate line that had one of those "bomb sniffing" machines in it. (The one where they puff the air at you).

I'd still get to the airport 2 hours before takeoff though. I've been in a terminal that has been evacuated and had to go though security again... that takes a looooong time.

- TK

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You don't have to remove your shoes. At least at San Jose Intl. they are fine with you not removing your shoes. It's optional, but its recommended that you take it off.

Please, don't cause trouble. Take y our wallet, cell p hone, belt, watch and stuff them in your bag like I do. I have NEVER set a metal detector off except in China once probably because they calibrate it differently.

I was at LAX and they wanted to see my ticket before entering the line for security and then while going through the scanner. I said lemme get it in my b ackpack (cuz it wa sin x-ray) and they said ok s they let me pass through the scanner. As I got my ticket, the guy who was checking got replaced... I was like uhhh "Hey you guys didnt check my ticket, so here it is.." They took me over and put me through secondary tests as a result .... what a waste of time. They checked my Moto v600 and IPod for explosive stuff...

 

[HardcoreRobot]

shoes off
laptop out of bag
jackets off
boarding pass in hand as you pass thru

i recommend
take your belt off unless you know it wont set it off
everything out of your pockets